Seven years. Seven perfect years with Cameron, and tonight I wanted everything to be perfect.
I smoothed down the front of my dress—a soft blue silk that Cameron once said brought out the color of my eyes. The dinner I'd prepared was his favorite: filet mignon with truffle butter, roasted asparagus, and chocolate soufflé. I'd spent hours getting everything just right.
"Mrs. Fox?" The concierge smiled as I approached the front desk of The Mandarin Oriental. "How may I help you?"
"I'm here to see my husband," I said, trying to contain my excitement. "Cameron Fox. He's in the Presidential Suite. It's our anniversary, and I thought I'd surprise him."
The young man's expression flickered for just a moment—something I might have noticed if I hadn't been so focused on my surprise.
"Of course, Mrs. Fox. Let me get you a key card."
My heart raced as the elevator climbed to the top floor. Cameron had texted earlier saying he'd be working late, but I knew he'd mentioned a meeting at this hotel. I couldn't wait to see his face when I appeared with dinner and champagne.
The hallway was hushed, plush carpet muffling my footsteps as I approached the Presidential Suite. I inserted the key card, hearing the soft click of the lock releasing.
"I'm so lucky," I whispered to myself, pushing open the door.
The suite was dimly lit, but I could see the champagne bucket and rose petals scattered across the floor. My heart swelled—until I heard the sounds from the bedroom.
Low moans. The rustle of sheets.
No. No, this couldn't be happening.
I moved toward the bedroom, my body numb, as if watching myself from outside. The door was ajar, spilling warm light into the hallway.
"Cameron?" My voice sounded strange, distant.
Through the gap, I saw them. Cameron—my husband, my best friend, my everything—entwined with a woman I recognized as Sloan Weaver, the new intern from his firm. Her red hair spilled across my husband's chest as she straddled him, her head thrown back in ecstasy.
"Cameron!" I pushed the door open fully, my voice breaking.
They froze, locked in their passionate embrace. For one terrible moment, no one moved.
Then Cameron's eyes met mine, and what I saw there wasn't panic or remorse—it was annoyance.
"Sloan," he said calmly, "give us a minute."
Sloan slid off him, pulling a sheet around herself with a smirk in my direction before disappearing into the bathroom.
I stood there, trembling, as Cameron casually put on his shirt and pants.
"Lily," he said, as if I were the one who had interrupted something important. "You shouldn't have come here."
"How could you?" My voice was barely audible, tears streaming down my face. "Seven years, Cameron. Seven years of marriage, and you do this on our anniversary?"
He sighed, running a hand through his perfectly styled hair. "This isn't what you think."
"It's exactly what I think!" I cried, my voice rising. "I want a divorce. I want out of this marriage right now."
Cameron's expression hardened. "No."
"What do you mean, no?"
"I mean no divorce." He straightened his tie with steady hands. "Sloan understands me in ways you never could, Lily. She gets the pressure I'm under, the world I live in."
"So you want me to just... what? Accept this?"
"Yes." His voice was cold, decisive. "If you want to remain my wife, you'll accept that Sloan is part of my life now. She's not going anywhere."
I stared at him in disbelief. "You can't be serious."
"I've never been more serious." He stepped closer, his eyes boring into mine. "Take some time to think about it, Lily. But don't test me on this."
I backed away from him, grabbing my purse and fleeing into the hallway. My mind raced as I stumbled toward the elevator, his words echoing in my head.
Two days later, I sat across from Rebecca Ashford at our favorite café, desperately seeking comfort from my oldest friend.
"He can't do this to me," I said, tears blurring my vision. "I won't let him."
Rebecca's expression was unreadable as she stirred her coffee. "Lily, there's something you should know."
"What is it?"
"Cameron came by my apartment yesterday." She hesitated. "He told me everything."
"Everything? What do you mean?"
"He said you've been... unstable lately. That you've been jealous of Sloan and accused him of things that weren't true." Her eyes held pity that made my stomach turn. "He said you even admitted to seeing someone else while he was working."
The cup slipped from my fingers, coffee splashing across the table.
"That's a lie!" I whispered hoarsely. "Rebecca, you know me. You know I would never—"
"Lily, calm down." She glanced around nervously. "People are staring."
I looked around the café and saw the whispers, the sidelong glances. Cameron had already been here, poisoning everyone against me.
"He's turned everyone against me," I realized, my voice hollow. "Everyone."
